🥃 Chum Churum

Chum Churum is a brand of South Korean soju whose name means “like the first time” in Korean. Doosan launched it in 2006, and Lotte Chilsung Beverage took over the brand in 2008. Lotte's press releases mention alkaline water, but this is linked to the producer, Lotte, rather than confirmed as a property of this particular brand. Today the standard version is 15.7% ABV (since September 2026, according to Asia Economy).

History. According to JoongAng Daily, in 2007 Chum Churum became the first of the popular sojus to drop below 20% ABV, to 19.5%. In 2014 the strength was lowered from 19 to 18%, in 2021 from 16.9 to 16.5%, in 2025 to 16%, and in September 2026, according to Asia Economy, to 15.7%. The handwritten name on the label was done by Professor Shin Yong-bok; he declined a fee, and Doosan funded scholarships at his university instead.

How it is made. Most modern soju is diluted: neutral spirit is mixed with water and sweeteners are added. This method took hold after 1965, when rice soju production was banned in Korea because of rice shortages. For the 2025 version, according to Kyunghyang Shinmun, the producer added rice distillate and allulose sweetener to reduce bitterness.

Range. Besides the standard bottle, there were weaker versions, such as Chum Churum Cool (16.8% ABV in 2014), and fruit sojus under the same brand.

Why this matters to you. Soju strength has changed over the years, so older descriptions give different figures than the label shows today. Soju is weaker than vodka, but it is often drunk in small shots and in large amounts, so the risk remains. The WHO reminds: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.